Popular Mechanics Gives Instructions on How to Take Down Statues, George Washington Statue Is Ripped Down

You used to look to Popular Mechanics to figure out how things worked or if you were a nerd intrigued about building things.

Now, even Popular Mechanics has become subsumed by the leftist mania.

They recently ran an article from James Stout whose bio describes him as a Ph.D “historian of anti fascism in sport and runs a nonprofit that uses exercise to empower Indigenous people to live healthier and happier lives.”

Stout wanted to share with us and Popular Mechanics readers ‘scientific’ instruction on how to take down statues that you don’t like without getting hurt. “How to Topple a Statue Using Science” and subhead, “Bring that sucker without anyone getting hurt.”

“Should you happen to find yourself near a statue that you decide you no longer like, we asked scientists for the best, safest ways to bring it to the ground without anyone getting hurt— except, of course, for the inanimate racist who’s been dead for a century anyway,” Stout said.

From NY Post:

Mechanical engineer Scott Holland then advised how — with about 70 strong friends — protesters could pull down most statues with 4×4 recovery straps “around the head or the neck.”

Holland also suggested using a butane or propane torch to heat up the statue, saying, “You’ll be there for 15 to 20 minutes, but it’s a lot easier.”

Failing that, there’s also a “chemical approach” — with a detailed guide on “melting the damn thing” and using thermite, Stout writes, saying it has the “fun bonus” of producing a high-pitched squeal.

“One could imagine it sounding something like the sound a confederate general would make if their feet were on fire,” Chris Harrison, a chemistry professor at San Diego State University, told the mag.

The story sparked a lot of outrage on line with many saying they would end their subscriptions to the magazine because they were pushing anarchy.

Naah. They’re no activism in journalism… Popular Mechanics publishes how-to guide to take down statues 'without anyone getting hurt' – https://t.co/2qcIEeYS27

— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) June 17, 2020

🚨🚨🚨Popular Mechanics goes full Taliban. Several engineers chime in on how to destroy statues. I always thought @PopMech was about building things. https://t.co/hiXFORXRDW

— Christina Sommers (@CHSommers) June 17, 2020

I look forward to Popular Mechanics putting together a primer on how to make a Molotov cocktail https://t.co/Re2VkHeJSN

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 17, 2020

They tried to wiggle out from under the backlash by claiming that article wasn’t really encouraging people to do it, that they were just commenting based on the “national attention being drawn to the removal of Confederate monuments and statues” and reminded people they could still get hurt if they tried this.

But it isn’t really about Confederate statues, just like Antifa isn’t really “antifascist,” it’s about the removal of all things radical leftists don’t like including capitalism and the American system. That’s why they attack statues of WWII memorials, abolitionists and Abraham Lincoln too.

As my colleague Bonchie reported earlier, they took down a statue of George Washington on Thursday night in Portland and burnt the American flag on top of it, just to make clear the truth of what I said. What people who defend them miss is that they regard America itself as fascist.

This is where Popular Mechanics would like to lead us and who knows if the folks behind the action might even have employed some of their advice.

Antifa rioters on Sandy Blvd. in Portland draped a US flag over a George Washington statue & set it on fire. They then toppled the statue. “Genocidal colonist” & “f— cops” are sprayed on monument. Rioters have began to build another autonomous zone nearby. pic.twitter.com/TrZkhPK9zp

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 19, 2020

The nearly 100-year-old statue of George Washington in NE Portland has been pulled down. There are no police in the area. #antifa #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/qdiY1Y0Zo8

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 19, 2020

Another American flag was laid over the toppled George Washington statue in Portland and set on fire. #antifa #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Lm9e7Q84Gr

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) June 19, 2020

Looks like they did employ the Popular Mechanics rope method.

In other news, there is a serious rope set up on the George Washington statue. #Portlandprotest #statue #blacklivesmatter #PDXprotests #pdx #oregon #blm #acab #pdx #georgewashington #flagburning pic.twitter.com/eQAFOXVGlr

— Garrison Davis (Teargas Glutton) (@hungrybowtie) June 19, 2020